Heater for steam generating systems



May 22, 1934.

E. HUNKELE HEATER FOR STEAM GENERATING SYSTEMS Filed July 28, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORv Patented May 22, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HEATER FOR STEAM GENERATING SYSTEMS Application July 28, 1933, Serial No.v 682,585V

Claims.

This invention relates, generally, to heaters, and the invention has reference more particularly to a novel heater especially adapted to be installed in the heating chambers of steam gen-'- 5 erating furnaces or boilers for facilitating the production of steam by such steam generating systems.

Steam generating furnaces and boilers as heretofore generally constructed, and especially theV smaller furnaces and boilers used in residences, ofce buildings and for other purposes, usually require a considerable period of time after they are started before they produce steam in the quantities desired for heating and for other uses. The principal object of the present invention is to provide a novel heater which is designed to be easily installed in ordinary steam boilers for enabling such boilers to generate steam quickly and economically, the said heater employing preferably gas as a fuel, though other fuels, such as liquid fuels may be used.

Another object of the present invention lies in the provision of a novel heater of the above character which is of simple compact construction andl is readily portable so thatthe same may be easily inserted into and installed in the heating chambers of the'various types of furnaces and steam boilers, the said heater comprising a substantially bell shaped or inverted cup shaped water jacket having a coiled pipe in the hollow interior thereof adapted to quickly .heat water passing thereinto from the water jacket to thereby rapidly produce steam which is passed into the boiler.

Still another object of the'present invention is to provide a novel heater of the above character which is of ruggedand permanent construction, the same having an exceedingly long life in use. Y Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be clearly understood from the following detailed description of the same.

The invention is clearly illustrated in theraccompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a part sectional view in elevation illustrating a steam furnace or boiler equipped with the novel heater of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a part fragmentary sectional view of a portion of the structure shown in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view looking upwardly at the heater shown in Fig. 2.

Referring now to said drawings, the reference numeral 1 designates a typical steam furnace or boiler having a lower water receiving portion or jacket 2 communicating with an upper steam space 3 provided within a steam dome 4. A steam main 5 is adapted to convey steam from within the steam dome 4 to any desired steam utilizing means (not shown). The furnace or boiler 1 is provided with the usual heating chamber 6 within which the novel heater of the present invention is adapted to be installed.

According to the preferred arrangement, the novel heater of the present invention comprises a substantially bell-shaped, or inverted cup shaped, water jacket 7 having spaced inner and outer walls 8 and 9 adapted to receive boiler water 10 therebetween, as especially illustrated in Fig. 2. The lower portion of the heater water jacket 7 is connected by transverse pipes 11 to the side wall 12 of the heating chamber 6. Pipes 11 are threaded at their ends into apertures in the outer heater wall 9 and in the side wall 12 and these pipes provide passages for water flowing from the boiler jacket 2v into the heater jacket 7. An additional vertical pipe 13 has its lower end threaded into an aperture provided in the top portion of the outer wall 9 of the heater water jacket 7 and has its upper end threaded into an aperture provided in the heating chamber top wall 14.

A coiled heating tube or pipe 15 is contained within the hollow interior 16 of the heater water jacket 7. The heating tube 15 is preferably madeY of relatively thin copper tubing so as to possess a high thermo conductivity, the said tube being coiled so as to form a substantially hollow cone with the base of the cone adjacent the bottom of the heater jacket 7. The convolutions of the heating tube 15 are 'preferably positioned relatively close to one another so as to eciently absorb heat from the products of combustion passing upwardly within the interior of this conical heating tube structure. The lower end of the heating tube 15 is connected, as by a coupling fitting 17, to the lower portion of the heater jacket '1;A the said coupling fitting being threaded into anaperture provided in the inner wall 8 of the jacket 7. The upper end of the heating tube 15 is threaded into an aperture 19 provided inthe upper portion of the inner wall 8 of the heater jacket. A vertical pipe 18 is threaded downwardly into the aperture19 for communicating with the interior of tube 15.v Pipe 18 is of lesser diameter than theA internal diameter of pipe 13 and extends upwardly through this pipe 13 and into the steam space 3A within steam dome 4.

A suitable burner, such as a gas burner-20 is positioned preferably somewhat below the hollow central portion of the conical heating unit formed by the coiled heating tube 15. Although a gas burner 20 is illustrated as employed in the drawings, it is to be understood that other types of burners such as an oil burner may be used in lieu of the burner 20,if desired. The burner 20 is adapted to rest upon the furnace foundation and in the space ordinarily occupied by the ashes of a coal fired furnace or boiler.

In use, water 10 is supplied to; the furnace or boiler 1 in the ordinary manner, the said water establishing a water level 21 within the furnace. Water 10 passes through pipes l1 into the jacket 7 of the heater and establishes a water'level within vertical pipe 13 that corresponds to the waterk level within the furnace itself. Water also enters the coil tubing 5 completely filling7 thisY tubing.. When the burner 20 is lighted, the flame 22 produced thereby passes upwardly and into the hollow interiorv of the conicalheating unit formed` by the coiled tube 15 and-'serves to rapidly heat. this thin walled tube which; heat is-v rapidly conveyed by the metal ofthe tube tothe water therein,I thereby` causing rapid heating and steamingy of this water. Heat containing gases of combustion escaping between the several-convolutions ofthe heatingtube 15 will impinge upon the inner wall 8 of the heater jacket whichy inner wall ab-d sorbs substantially all the remaining heat of these gases and conducts this heat tothe water within the heating jacket 7i so that this water is preheated` somewhat before entering the tubing 175. The gases of` combustion are now relatively cool and escape through the furnace flue, that is` preferably-located inthe lower portion of the furnace. The` water in the upper portion of the` heater jacket 7 will become quite hot and will boil to some extent producing steam which will pass upwardly through pipe 13r and* intofthe steam space 3 of the boiler.

In use it has been shown that when using the novel heater of the present invention steam is. produced almost immediatelyl upon lighting theburner 20, thereby avoidingy delays ordinarily occasioned when using. furnaces or boilers fired. in the ordinary way with: coal or-other fuel. Owing tothe bell orV inverted cup shape of* the heater jacket 7*,.this jacket serves tov catch and' absorb the; heat Y of the rising products. Vof combustion escaping betweenr the convolutionsl of the-tube 15'. The heater is thereforehighly efficient in use and serves to produce steam at great rapidity while using a relatively small quantityl of fuel; Since f the water 10` is somewhat warmedin jacket.v '1` before entering the coiled tube l5, such water rapidly becomes heated to the boiling point upon entering this tube which latter is exposed to the hottest part of the ame 22.

It will be apparent that the novela heater of the present invention may be used to. advantage wherever steam is generatedi and the same can easily be installed in furnacesor boilers by merely drilling and tapping three holes for taking pipes 11 and 13.

As many changes could be made in the above construction andA many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made Without departing from the scope thereof, as dened by the following claims, it is intended that all matter contained in' the' above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. l I Y 4 I claim:

1. A heater for steam generating furnaces or boilers comprising, a substantially bell shaped water jacket arranged to be positioned in the heating chamber of the furnace orv boiler, a conduit interconnecting said water jacket with the water containing portion of the furnace or boiler, and a coiled heating tube contained within the hollow interior of said water jacket, said heating tube forming a heating unit having one end thereof in. communication with the interior of saidrwater jacket and its other end in direct communication with the steam space of the furnace or boiler.

2. A heater for steam generating furnaces or boilers comprising, a substantially bell shaped water jacket, piping connecting the lower portion of said water jacket with the waten containing portion of the furnace or boiler, additional piping connecting the upper portion of said water jacket with the steamfspace of the furnace or boiler, and

a relatively closely coiled heating tube contained. within the hollow interior. of said water jacket,.

of said water jacket with the water containing,

portion ofthe furnace or boiler, additional piping connecting the upper portion of said water jacket with the steam space of the furnace or boiler, and

a coiled heating tube contained within the hollow interior of said water jacket, said coiled heating tube having substantially the form of a hollow cone," the end of the tube at the' base ofthe cone being connected to said water jacket for receiving water from the latter, andthev end" of the tube at*v the top of the cone being directly connected to the vfurnace or boiler steam space for deliverboilers comprising, a substantially bell shaped1v water jacket arranged to be positioned in theheating chamberk of the furnace or boiler, a conduit interconnecting said water jacket with the water containing portion of the furnace or boiler for supplying'water to said jacket from the boiler, a second conduit interconnecting said water jacket with the steam space of the furnace or boiler for conductingy steam fromsaid jacket to such steam space, and a coiled heating tube contained within the hollow interior of said water jacket,`the'convolutionsof said coiled tube being disposed so as to form a conical heating unit, said heating unit having its lower end connected to the lower portion of said: water jacket for receiving. water from the latter andiy having its upper portion connected by piping extending through said second conduit to the steam space ofthe furnace or boiler for delivering steam directly into the latter.

5. A heater for steam generating furnaces or boilers comprising a substantially bell shaped water jacket arrangedy to be positioned in the heating-chamber of the furnace or boiler, piping connecting the lower portion of said water jacket with the water containing portionA of the furnace or boiler, additional piping connecting the upper portion of saidwater jacket With the steam space vided on the upper end of said heating unit, said extension extending through said water jacket and said additional piping to the steam space of the furnace or boiler, for conducting steam directly from said heating unit to said steam space.

EDWARD HUNKELE. 

